Hi, everyone! I've been on hold here for while waiting for my grandparents' birth acts to come from Gerace, RC, and they finally arrived on Saturday! Nuccia was SOOOO helpful in telling me what to write and where to send my requests, and they arrived in 2 weeks! I am still waiting for the same information on the films from the FHC!! Now, I need help with the translations, and direction on what to do next! Here they are....

Grazie molto, Livio! I am thrilled to learn those new facts about my g-grandparents! Nuccia was so helpful and accommodating about helping me contact Gerace and getting the birth acts! Now, I can go back more generations!

Would you happen to know anything about the spinning occupation my g-grandmothers did? I'm sure it wasn't the aerobic activity done in the gyms!! I was just wondering what was grown in that region that would be spun into a cloth, I presume. I know that area is very close to Nuccia's family which is near the sea.

I see that one g-grandfather is Tomasso, and the other Gaetano. Do they both mean Thomas?

Also, last question, in Domenico's birth act, it said that he was born in Gerace, Vico Maffei nr. 16. Is that an address?

Would it be possible for someone to give me the complete translation so that I may attach it to the document for future reference? All this is much appreciated..what would I do without you?

Would you happen to know anything about the spinning occupation my g-grandmothers did?

I have no clue.

Flora wrote:

I see that one g-grandfather is Tomasso, and the other Gaetano. Do they both mean Thomas?

I don't know any translation for Gaetano

Flora wrote:

Also, last question, in Domenico's birth act, it said that he was born in Gerace, Vico Maffei nr. 16. Is that an address?

Yes

Flora wrote:

Would it be possible for someone to give me the complete translation so that I may attach it to the document for future reference?

In the year 1891 on day29 of August at 10:30, in the town hall, before me Pietro Mileto Assistant delegated by the Mayor with act [dated] April 15th, 1891 [the exact word is: last April 15] officer of the vital records of the community of Gerace, hamlet Superiore, appeared Romeo Gaetano, age 36, joiner living in Gerace who has declared that at 6:30pm of the day 26 of this month, in the house located in Vico Maffei nr. 16, from Galluzzo Caterina, his wife, spinner, e living with him, was born a baby, male, that he presents to me and to whom he gave the names of Domenico Francesco.

The aforesaid presentation and declaration was made in the presence of the witnesses of Badolato Giuseppe, age 33, shoemaker and Tallerida Michele, age 50, Peasant, both residing in this town.

The present act was read to the informant and to the witnesses, and was signed my only by myself, since they declared that they don't know how to write.

The same has also declared that he has given the girl the name Concetta.

Livio..I find this very intriguing as on my grandparents' (Domenico and Grazia) marriage certificate, he has listed a Concetta DiCarlo as his mother when in reality it was Caterina Galluzzo. So, the name Concetta is a big question mark for me....was Concetta actually written somewhere on the birth act? What was the big mistake you edited? Hmmmmm!

To avoid retyping everything I did a copy and paste from another birth act and when I first posted the translation for you I forgot to erase the sentence "The same has also declared that he has given the girl the name Concetta" that was related to the birt act I was using as a model.
After Nuccia highlighted the mistake I did correct it in the post.

By the way Concetta was a very common name in the late 80s and early 90s.

Following is the translation of Grazia's birth act:

In the year 1895 on day 4 of June at 9:00am, in the town hall, before me Anselmo Fienoguari [I'm not sure about this surname] Assistant delegated by the Mayor with act [dated] February 1st, 1895 officer of the vital records of the community of Gerace, hamlet Superiore, appeared Musaraca Tommaso, age 38, shoemaker living in Gerace who has declared that at 1:30am of the day 1 of this month, in the house located in Via S. Domenico nr. no number, from Scoleri Giovanna, his wife, spinner, living with him, was born a baby, female, that he presents to me and to whom he gave the names of Grazia, Caterina.

The aforesaid presentation and declaration was made in the presence of the witnesses of Ricupero Francesco, age 70, "vaticale" [I don't know what this is, it should be a profession] and Galluzzo Domenico, age 36, peasant, both residing in this town.

The present act was read to the informant and to the witnesses, and was signed my only by myself, since they declared that they don't know how to write.

You should note that the name of this baby is Grazia, Caterina with a "comma" between the two names while the full name of the other baby was Domenico Francesco, "no comma". The comma means that only the first name preceding the comma is the official name, that will appear in all subsequent documents. So the officialnames are Grazia MUSURACA and Domenico Francesco ROMEO.

Would you happen to know anything about the spinning occupation my g-grandmothers did? I'm sure it wasn't the aerobic activity done in the gyms!! I was just wondering what was grown in that region that would be spun into a cloth, I presume.
Flora

A filatrice (spinner) spins cloth as you suspected. I have some pictures that will illustrate it better than words.

What interesting pieces of information...the comma and the photos! I have my grandmother Grazia's wedding band, and her and my grandfather's names (she used Caterina instead of Grazia..curious) are beautifully inscribed on the inside...still readable! But, I have a great story about the wedding band...it came off my grandmother's finger while she was gardening, and was lost. Six years later, again while gardening, she dug it up! Shiny as ever! My mom wore it after she died, and now I have it! And, it fits perfectly. When I wear it, I feel so close to her...I remember it on her finger when I was a child.

I love the photos of the spinners..filatrice. A lost art, I guess. Thank you, Cathy. I think it is wonderful the way we can learn from each other...I only hope that someday I can contribute knowledge instead of always asking for it!

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